The Emancipation Proclamation 163rd Anniversary Programs

The timing of the Battle of Stones River was driven by President Abraham Lincoln's desire to secure success on the battlefield on or about January 1, 1863, to support the Emancipation Proclamation. This battle proved to be the victory Lincoln wanted.

Spend the day exploring the impact of the Emancipation Proclamation on the war, its outcomes, and on our society today.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

11 AM - Fulfilling A Promise of Liberty: - The fighting at Stones River was driven by President Abraham Lincoln's need for military success to support the Emancipation Proclamation. That document, bolstered by the bloody U.S. victory in Murfreesboro signaled a change that shaped our Civil War into a conflict that built on the promises made through the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Join a ranger and explore the connections between the ideals expressed at our nation's founding and the expansion of liberty and civil rights made possible by the struggle that gripped our country more than 80 years later. (30 minutes)

This is the debut of a special #America250 program that we will share with the public throughout the year.

2 PM - Rising From the Ashes - Join a ranger for a special caravan tour through the heart of the battlefield where formerly enslaved people created a community named Cemetery following the Civil War. (90 minutes)

#BattleOfStonesRiver #StonesRiver163

You may also like the following events from Stones River National Battlefield:

• Next month, 13th December, 11:00 am, Wreaths Across America at Stones River National Cemetery in Murfreesboro
• Next month, 27th December, 10:00 am, Battle of Stones River 163rd Anniversary Living History Event in Murfreesboro
• Next month, 31st December, 11:00 am, Battle of Stones River 163rd Anniversary Programs - Real Time Walks in Murfreesboro